This disclosure relates to mechanisms for deploying segmented mirrors of an optical system, and more particularly to a mechanized hinge that is configured to adjust components of the optical hinge that are moved between use and storage positions.
Some optical systems must be physically smaller for storage or delivery than in use. To achieve more compact configurations, optical elements (such as mirrors) may be moved closer to each other for storage than in use and retained with precision to their use position, or the optical components may be separated into parts and moved into a smaller volume for storage and returned to an operational position with precision, or both.
Some optical systems, such as optical systems employed by NASA, are designed to be delivered in a compact, stowed configuration, and expanded to an operational configuration. NASA currently reduces the size for delivery relative to use only for large, expensive systems. This is predominantly because the mechanisms to enable compaction and later use as an optical system are complex, bulky and expensive. It is relatively easy to reduce the distance between optical components and then restore operational configuration for use. Reducing the dimensions of a single optical component such as a primary mirror is a much more challenging task. The accuracy required for the positioning between components is on the order of a thousandth of an inch. If a single optical component, such as a primary mirror, is composed of multiple physical segments, the accuracy of positioning relative to one another required is on the order of a millionth of an inch. In very small systems, the current techniques and mechanisms used to position the multiple segments of a single optical component are larger and more costly than the entire small system. Further, the required sub-mechanisms are not available to enable current techniques and mechanisms in the size required.
It would be beneficial to provide a hinge mechanism for an optical system having segmented mirrors that exhibits a high degree of precision, and is of relatively low complexity and cost.